The sky is the limit for Lindgren

Wolves ace Fredrik Lindgren accepted the Elite League Rider of the Year trophy and promised there's more to come.

The 24-year-old, who also topped last year's EL averages by nearly half a point, accepted his award from Chris Durno of the Association of Speedway Referees at the Parrys International open day yesterday.

Yet Lindgren, who finished last season on an astonishing 10.43 average, is hoping to nudge it even higher.

He said: "Obviously I've got a really high average. It's going to be tough with the kind of points I'm on at the moment. But you can always improve. I think I've still got things to learn.

"I'll be really happy if I can keep my average – or slightly improve on it. Internationally, I would like to really step it up a little bit.

"Top eight in the Grands Prix or maybe even a a bit higher than that."

Lindgren's quest for improvement is such that he has stepped down from his JRM (formerly Jawa) factory engine deal and will run at least part of the season with the rival GM power plant.

He said: "I haven't signed a contract with Jawa for this year. I'll be my own agent. I'll start off the season with the best Jawa engines from last year, and we're getting a few new GMs to see if they'll work better or worse.

"Then I will have to make a decision after that on what to do. It's not the power – Jawa is probably a little bit more powerful than the GM.

"But at the moment all international meetings are on really slick tracks and that's where I'm struggling. It's always been my downer, slick tracks.

"I've got better, but we'll see if the GM will work better for me."

Former FIM GP Race Director Ole Olsen, an advocate of slick surfaces, moves this year to a new post, FIM Speedway Director of Sport.

It remains to be seen if his successor, Tony Olsson, takes track preparation in a different direction.

Lindgren said: "I don't know what his plans are, so it's going to be an interesting season. I think Ole has done a great job with the Grand Prix, taking it where it is today.

"But where the tracks are concerned, the last two years I've been in the racing hasn't been as good as it could be."

Wolves club owner Chris Van Straaten also accepted the Track of the Year trophy at Parrys yesterday on behalf of track curator Alan 'Doc' Bridgett.